Xerochrysum plant named ‘Bondrepuho’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Xerochrysum  plant named ‘Bondrepuho’, characterized by its double-type white-colored inflorescences, dark green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, compact-mounded growth habit, is disclosed.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Xerochrysumbracteatum.

Variety denomination: ‘Bondrepuho’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofXerochrysum plant botanically known as Xerochrysum bracteatum andhereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Bondrepuho’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in YellowRock, New South Wales, Australia during September 2005. The objective ofthe breeding program was the development of Xerochrysum cultivars withlarge inflorescences having attractive colors, and moderately vigorous,compact-mounded growth habit.

The new Xerochrysum cultivar is the result of cross-pollination. Thefemale (seed) parent of the new cultivar is DREAMTIME Jumbo White‘Ohdrejumwhi’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,626, characterized by itsdouble-type, white-colored inflorescences, dark green-colored foliage,and vigorous, upright growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the newcultivar is the proprietary Xerochrysum bracteatum breeding selectiondesignated 04-50, not patented, characterized by its double-type,pink-colored inflorescences, dark green-colored foliage, and vigorous,upright-mounded growth habit. The new cultivar was discovered andselected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the abovestated cross-pollination during June 2006 in a controlled environment atYellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings sinceJune 2006 at Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia, Arroyo Grande,Calif., and West Chicago, Ill. has demonstrated that the new cultivarreproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as hereindescribed, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations ofsuch asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedlyobserved and can be used to distinguish ‘Bondrepuho’ as a new anddistinct cultivar of Xerochrysum plant:

-   -   1. Double-type, white-colored inflorescences;    -   2. Dark green-colored foliage; and    -   3. Moderately vigorous, compact-mounded growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the male parentprimarily in inflorescence color and growth vigor.

Of the many commercially available Xerochrysum cultivars, the mostsimilar in comparison to the new cultivar is the female parent DREAMTIMEJumbo White ‘Ohdrejumwhi’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,626. However, in sideby side comparisons, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of‘Ohdrejumwhi’ in at least the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new cultivar have larger diameter inflorescences thanplants of ‘Ohdrejumwhi’; and

-   -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have a purer white involucral        bract color than plants of ‘Ohdrejumwhi’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typicalflower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in thephotographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detaileddescription, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Bondrepuho’. Theplants were grown in 4-inch pots for 6 weeks in a greenhouse at WestChicago, Ill.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habitof ‘Bondrepuho’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual inflorescence of‘Bondrepuho’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype mayvary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature,light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is TheR.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England,2001 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significanceare used. The color values were determined in July 2010 under naturallight conditions in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants producedfrom cuttings from stock plants and grown in a glass-covered greenhouseunder conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. Theplants were grown in West Chicago, Ill. in 4-inch pots for 6 weeksutilizing a soilless growth medium. Greenhouse temperatures weremaintained at approximately 70° F. to 77° F. (21° C. to 25° C.) duringthe day and approximately 65° F. to 68° F. (18° C. to 20° C.) during thenight. Greenhouse light levels of 2,500 footcandles to 6,000 footcandleswere maintained during the day. Measurements and numerical valuesrepresent averages of typical plants.

-   Botanical classification: Xerochrysum bracteatum cultivar    Bondrepuho.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—DREAMTIME Jumbo White ‘Ohdrejumwhi’, U.S.            Plant Pat. No. 17,626.        -   Male parent.—Proprietary Xerochrysum bracteatum breeding            selection designated 04-50, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 6 to 9 days.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 21 to 28            days.        -   Root description.—Fibrous, fine.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 6 to 8 weeks from a            rooted cutting to finish in a 10 cm pot.        -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Moderately vigorous,            compact-mounded.        -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:            Approximately 16.4 cm. Width: Approximately 17.1 cm.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching. Quantity of main branches            per plant: Approximately 5.        -   Branch.—Strength: Strong. Length to base of peduncle:            Approximately 4.8 cm. Diameter: Approximately 3.0 mm. Length            of central internode: Approximately 8.5 mm. Texture: Densely            pubescent. Color of young and mature stems: 144D.-   Foliage description:    -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per main branch:            Approximately 7. Fragrance: Slight. Form: Simple.            Arrangement: Alternate.        -   Leaves.—Aspect: Acute angle to stem becoming downward            turning with age. Shape: Linear to elliptic. Margin: Entire.            Apex: Acuminate. Base: Sessile. Venation pattern: Parallel.            Length of mature leaf: Approximately 8.2 cm. Width of mature            leaf: Approximately 1.3 cm. Texture of upper surface:            Moderately pubescent. Texture of lower surface: Sparsely            pubescent. Color of upper surface of young foliage: 137A            with indistinguishable venation except for midvien of 145B.            Color of lower surface of young and mature foliage: Closest            to 137B with indistinguishable venation except for midvien            of 145B. Color of upper surface of mature foliage: Closest            to 139A with indistinguishable venation except for midvien            of 145B.-   Flowering description:    -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Bondrepuho’ is freely flowering under            outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous            blooming from spring through autumn and year-round in            greenhouse environment.        -   Lastingness of individual inflorescence on the            plant.—Approximately 2 to 3 weeks.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   General description.—Type: Double, composite. Persistent.            Shape: Hemispherical when involucral bracts are fully            expanded. Aspect: Facing outward or upward held above the            foliage. Arrangement: Terminal, solitary. Disc florets and            involucral bracts develop acropetally on a capitulum.            Fragrance: None. Quantity per plant: Approximately 2.            Diameter: Approximately 5.5 cm. Depth: Approximately 2.3 cm.        -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect. Length:            Approximately 9.1 cm. Diameter: Approximately 3.0 mm.            Texture: Tomentose. Color: 144B.        -   Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 14 to 21 days for bud            to progress from first color to fully open flower. Quantity            per plant: Approximately 3.        -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Ovoid. Length: Approximately            1.6 cm. Diameter: Approximately 1.2 cm. Color: 155D.        -   Involucral bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence:            Approximately 300. Arrangement: Imbricate in approximately            15 whorls. Aspect: Initially at acute angle to disc,            becoming perpendicular at maturity and downward turning as            senesce. Shape: Lanceolate, slightly cupped with sides            turned upward. Margin: Entire. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate.            Length of outermost: Approximately 1.9 cm. Length of            innermost: Approximately 7.0 mm. Width of outermost:            Approximately 5.0 mm. Width of innermost: Approximately            1.0 mm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous,            papery. Color of upper surface when first and fully open:            Purer white than 155D. Color of lower surface when first and            fully open: Purer white than 155D.        -   Disc florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: Numerous, greater            than 1,000. Arrangement: Massed in center of inflorescence,            multiple whorls of female florets at perimeter. Shape:            Tubular with an outer whorl of approximately 20 pure-white,            feather-like filaments, approximately 6.0 mm in length.            Margin: Entire. Apex: Five acute tips. Base: Fused. Length:            Approximately 1.1 cm. Diameter at apex: Approximately            1.0 mm. Diameter at base: Less than 1 mm. Texture: Glabrous.            Color when fully open: 21A transitioning through 145D to a            colorless, opaque base.        -   Disc.—Diameter: Approximately 1.6 cm. Depth: Approximately            1.4 cm.        -   Receptacle.—Shape: Flat. Diameter: Approximately 2.0 cm.            Color: 145D.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: 5 per            floret, fused around the style. Stamen length: Approximately            9.0 mm. Anther shape: Linear. Anther length: Approximately            3.0 mm. Anther color: 14A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen            color: 14B. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: 1 per floret. Pistil            length: Approximately 1.1 cm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted.            Stigma length: Approximately 2.0 mm. Stigma color: 21A.            Style length: Approximately 8.0 mm. Style color: Colorless,            transparent. Ovary length: Approximately 1.0 mm. Ovary            color: Colorless, opaque.-   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has    been observed.-   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests    common to Xerochrysum has not been observed.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Xerochrysum plant named ‘Bondrepuho’,substantially as herein shown and described.